For those who are still not familiar with the group CAIR - the Council on American - Islamic Relations - I'll provide some background information. Founded in 1994, CAIR is headquarted in Washington, DC and has thirty-one chapters and regional offices in the United States and Canada. Of note, CAIR was founded by Nihad Awad, Omar Ahwad, Rafiq Jaber and other former members of the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP). Jaber is also the current spokesman for the Bridgeview Mosque Foundation in Illinois; a mosque tied to the IAP and the Quranic Literacy Institute that were named in the 2004 drive-by murder of David Boim. The IAP and Quranic Literacy Institute were ordered by the court to pay Boim's family $156MM in restitution; money that had previously been raised in the US (as "charity" donations) by these Islamic organizations. *US donations used to finance terrorist activities and, subsequently, for the results of said terrorist activities - most interesting.

Note: The IAP has often been referred to as the American wing of Hamas - a terrorist group that has vowed to destroy Israel. Of interest, Hamas senior leader Mahmoud al-Zahar said in a recent interview with Arab newspaper Asharq Al Awsat: "We do not and will not recognize a state called Israel. This land is the property of all Muslims in all parts of the world. Let Israel die!" Suffice it to say, this is not an organization that has any desire or any plans for peace.

CAIR currently has enough political and "PC" (political-correctness) clout to cow the US political and business establishment. Even though three of its (now former) members were convicted of federal terrorism charges, CAIR has greatly increased its influence in the US. Of note are CAIR's intimidation of the publication National Review to stop [its] running advertisements for the books "The Life and Religion of Mohammed" and "The Sword of the Prophet" and the recent firing of talk-show host Michael Graham from ABC-Disney Radio for making anti-Islamo-fascist comments. Is a trend being established, here? Are all Radio talk-show hosts no longer going to be able to speak against Islamic terrorism? Watch out Rush, Praeger and Hannity! You may be next.

Islamic education in the US (are these Wahabee schools?) also appears to be in the process of attempting to take over US private school organizations - at least in Texas. In 2004, the Islamic Education Institute of Texas sought inclusion into TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools). As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Edd Burleson (Director of TAPPS) had the 'extreme audacity' to ask questions of the Islamic educational organization. Quoting the Islamic Quran, which calls upon Muslims to be violent against Christians and Jews, Burleson asked in a letter containing ten questions to the group: "Why do you wish to join an organization whose membership is basically in total disagreement with your religious beliefs?" and "Why do you wish to join an organization whose membership is basically in total disagreement with your religious beliefs?" As if asking these questions weren't cheeky enough, Burleson went on to ask about the Islamic organization's position on "the spread of Islam in America" and the objectives of the school "in this regard." A week later, Burleson sent another letter that included the question "Do you teach your students to 'Make war on them (Christians and Jews) until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme' (Koran 8:37)?" These questions were enough to bring the ACLU flying to Islam's defense. The ACLU and CAIR demanded an apology from Burleson! It appears that questions directed to Islamic organizations are no longer to be allowed in the USA. However, as we already know, reverse situations are allowed. Christians may be asked any and all questions and are allowed to be brow-beaten unmercifully by both Islam and the ACLU. Christians are not liked nor accepted by Islam. And if we have learned anything at all from its myriad suits against the teaching or even displays of Christianity, neither does the ACLU. Remember the ACLU's threatened suit against the County of Los Angeles, for merely having a small cross on its County Seal? One has to wonder if the ACLU would have threatened the county if the Islamic crescent had been present. Doubtful.

But then, the ACLU is increasingly joining with CAIR on a number of battlefronts and lawsuits. A few of these include the following:

* The ACLU is working with CAIR and Amnesty International (a decidedly in-my-opinion Marxist group) to defend Ghassan Elashi and his brothers who were convicted of terrorism.
* In 2001, the ACLU joined CAIR and other Islamic support groups to challenge the detention of potential terrorists.
* In 2003, the ACLU joined CAIR and other Muslim advocacy groups to challenge portions of the Patriot Act.
* Also, in 2003, the Ohio chapter of the ACLU awarded its yearly "Liberty Flame Award" to the Ohio chapter of CAIR "for contributions to the advancement and protection of civil liberties."
* In 2004, the ACLU joined CAIR in demanding the FBI make its files public as to [its] surveillance of Chicago Muslim groups and 'expressed special concern today over the FBI's targeting of Muslims and Arabs in the Chicago community'. Note: Remember it was two Illinois groups (the IAP and Quranic Literacy Institute) that were convicted of terrorist murder.
* In North Carolina 2005, the ACLU joined forces with CAIR toward including swearing on the Koran (as opposed to the Bible) for Muslims. Note: The push for Shari'a law in Canada has already become a strong force. Will the US be next?

The above cites are only a few examples of the ACLU's increasing alliance with CAIR; an association that does not appear to have any indications of disbanding. Yet, the ACLU's affinity towards Christian groups and Christianity as a whole is nonexistent. Although some may wonder at the ACLU's agenda, I don't. Its current and past actions speak louder than any possible words. Don't believe me? Check the Net, yourself, for ACLU-CAIR alliances. The alignments are there for anyone willing to take the time to do so. I, for one, find it exceedingly troubling.

Sher Zieve is an author and political commentator. Zieve's Op/Ed columns are widely carried by multiple Internet Journals and sites and she also writes hard news. Her columns have, also, appeared in The Oregon Herald, Dallas Times, Boston Star, Massachusetts Sun, Sacramento Sun, in International news publications and on multiple University websites.

Ms. Zieve has been a guest on several radio shows, including The Alan Colmes' Show, and is currently working on her first political book: "The Liberal's Guide To Conservatives" http://www.augustagency.com/authors.htm

Zieve firmly believes that if Leftists ran the country (and left to their own inane devices), it would be the end of the United States as a sovereign nation.

As large of a threat as radical Islam as practiced by al-Qaeda is to the security of the United States, the ACLU is a larger threat. Why do I say that? Because the ACLU is doing to America what the Soviet Union couldn't. They are making good on the promise that Kruschev made at the UN when he proclaimed that the Soviet Union would bury us. They have been doing it slowly and silently over an 85 year period. They do it by opposing everything that is America.

In radical Islam and al Qaeda, the ACLU sees a method by which they can accomplish their goals more quickly. They see the measures being taken to secure the country as a way to further exploit the American public's fears of losing their freedoms. And this is a misconception that the ACLU is feeding. By creating a reason to fear the loss.

The ACLU has been going around telling America that the Patriot Act is an infringement on the Constitutional right to privacy. No such right exists. The only people that should fear the provisions of the Patriot Act are those wishing to do harm to the nation either knowingly or unknowingly.

If you are involved in a terrorist cell you should fear it. If you are involved in funneling money to a terrorist cell, you should be afraid. If you are involved in donating monies to organizations which funnel funds to terrorists and terrorist cells you should be worried. But if you are doing nothing to harm your country, the Patriot Act isn't something that you should fear. The ACLU is.

The ACLU would have you believe that designating 2 minutes at the beginning of the school day for school children to pray, meditate, study, read, or sleep is state promotion of religion. But they think nothing of teaching classes on understanding Islam.

The ACLU objects to the presence of the 10 Commandments on the walls of a court house. But yet they call for the Koran to be used in the court house for swearing in Muslim defendants and witnesses.

The ACLU has a problem with displaying a nativity scene in the town square but they see nothing wrong with witches performing ceremonies there.

The ACLU has launched an assault on religion in America. With just a few exceptions. Islam, Wicca, and the Church of Satan are all ok with the ACLU. But Christianity and Judaism are taboo.

_________________I believe that God has planted in every heart the desire to live in freedom. George W. BushDESTROY THE QURAN OR BE DESTROYED BY IT